Electricity-meter of the electrolytic type.



Patented lune l7, I902.

A. WRIGHT.

ELECTRICITY METER OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE.

(Application filed Apr. 5, 1902.)

(No Model.)

arilum g t y THE NORRAS warms co, PHOTCLITHO.WASHINGTON, n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR WVRIGHT, OF BRIGHTON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE MUTUAL ELECTRIC TRUST, LIMITED, OF BRIGHTON, ENGLAND.

ELECTRICITY-METER OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 702,850, dated June 17, 1902.

Original application filed May 26, 1900 Serial No. 18,124. Divided and this application filed April 5,1902. Serial No.101,483. (No model.)

To all whom it 'nuty concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR WRIGHT, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Brighton, in the county of Sussex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electricity-Meters of the Electrolytic Type, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in electricity meters of the electrolytic type whereby certain advantages are obtained.

The improvement embraced by my present invention consists in the employment of an anode of mercury and a cathode of platinum, the distinctive feature being that the anode is placed at a higher level within the electrolyte than the cathode, or at least some portion ofit. The platinum cathode may be connected with the exterior of the instrument by means of a platinum wire or wires sealed through the glass of the containing vessel when such containing vessel is of glass.

The figure of drawing shows a longitudinal section of the improved meter.

In the figure I have shown this platinum cathode as consisting of a cone 1, of platinum foil, with its apex pointing downward, the said apex being cut off so as to form an orifice 2, through which the mercury deposited in the interior of the cone can drop freely downward into the depositing-tube 3. Any mercury deposited on the outside of the said cone will also drop freely into the depositing-tube. The cathode 1 is supported by the platinum wires 4 5, the wire 5 being sealed into the glass and 4 being sealed through the glass and continuous with the connecting-wire 6. The mercury 7, constituting the anode, is contained in the anode-chamber 8, this anode-chamber being shown in the form illustrated as a pocket ar' ranged on one side of the instrument.

I may employ my present improvement in connection with the forms of instrument specitied in the specifications accompanying my applications for Letters Patent of the United States filed on 26th May, 1900, under Serial No. 18,124, of which the present application is a division, and on 26th June, 1900, under Serial No. 21,6at0. Thus in the figure I show my depositing-tube 3 bent into such form as to give what I term my second dial effect,

as described in my application No. 18,124 above referred to. I also show my anodefeeder 10 and heating resistance 11 for setting up convection-currents in the electrolyte 9, both these devices being described and illustrated in my said application No. 18,124.

It is an essential feature of my invention that the lower portion of the platinum cathode, and preferably the Whole platinum cathode, be placed at a lower level than the mercury anode, so as to avoid the sickening of the mercury of the said anode. Such sickening has hitherto been a bar to the use of electrolytic meters of the mercury electrolytic type.

In order to reset the instrument, all that has to be done is to turn the instrument over, so that the mercury shall flow back into the anode-chamber and anode-feeder.

The vessel is filled with electrolyte (mercurous nitrate, for example) except at the space 12, where the sealing of the glass takes place. At this spot an air-bubble is left.

As has been seen from the drawing I place the whole body of the platinum cathode below the level of the anode; but of course there is nothing to prevent my extending the upper portion of the cathode above the level of the anode, although such extension would have no utility inthe meter, nor need the electrical connection through the cathode traverse the meter-bulb below the level of the anode. Again, although I have described platinum as the material of my cathode it will be manifest that any material which is an electrical conductor not attacked by the electrolyte and with which the mercury does not amalgate, although it may cling to it in small quantities, is the equivalent of platinum as I use the term. As samples of such materials I may mention a platinum-iridium alloy or carbon.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a meter of the mercury electrolytic type, the combination of a mercury anode and a platinum cathode, the said cathode having a portion below the level of the said anode substantially as set forth.

2. In a mercury electrolytic meter, the combination of a mercury anode and a conical ing downward and with an orifice at the said level of the said anode, substantially as deapex, the said apex being placed below the scribed. level of the said anode, substantially as de- 3. In a mercury electrolytic meter, the comscribed. 15

5 bination of a mercury anode and a hollow I In witness whereof I have hereunto set my conical platinum cathode, the said cathode I handin presence of two subscribingwitnesses. having a portion below the level of the said a anode, substantially as described. i ARTHUR W'RHIHT' platinum cathode having a portion below the YVitnesses:

H. W. BURsToN, CHARLES YENKIFF.

4:. In a mercury electrolytic meter, the com- 10 bination of a mercury anode and a hollow conical platinum cathode, with its apex point- 

